


the key to his heart, the key to his confidence

by StoriesSheWrites



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Boys In Love, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, M/M, POV Third Person, Rory's pov, but the angst is lowkey, references to some dw episodes, romeo and juliet mention, rory is smart af, the doctor is called john
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-15
Updated: 2017-08-15
Packaged: 2018-12-15 21:09:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11814237
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StoriesSheWrites/pseuds/StoriesSheWrites
Summary: The Doctor is dramatic. The Doctor is popular. The Doctor has been his friend for as long as he can remember. And Rory fancies him, in that awkward, secret way that only he could.A secondary school/high school Rory/Eleven AU.(apologies for the terrible title)





	the key to his heart, the key to his confidence

Rory Williams knew a lot of things. Like that Shakespeare wrote Romeo and Juliet to make a point about sectarianism (basically), and that osmosis is the process by which water moved from one thing to another through a… _something_ membrane.

He also knew that Biology was not his best science.

Rory Williams knew these things because he sat and he listened. He listened to his English teacher ramble on about the Catholic Friar and he listened in Biology and he paid attention to himself and accepted that Physics was his forté.

But all the listening in the world could not help him comprehend how people got up on stage and _performed _. It struck him with amazement every year when the school play was on; he would listen and watch the people he knew act and joke and sometimes even sing in front of the entire student body and a shiver ran down his spine.__

__It took him years to realise that he longed to up there with them._ _

____

~ ~ ~

Rory’s phone twittered excitedly beside him and he groaned. He had just managed to get off Instagram and focus on his revision. His heart lifted just a little when he saw who it was from.

**John: hey have u done the physics :)**

**Rory: Mate, don’t you know me at all?**

Rory smiled to himself after sending the message. Calling John a mate was better than not speaking to him at all. At least that was what he told himself, as he tried to ignore his heart aching. His phone chirped again.

**John: ok yeah stupid question, mr cooper. how’d u do number 11?**

_Mr Cooper_ was apparently being used as an insult, even though everyone knew that John liked The Big Bang Theory. Rory was embarrassed that he only watched it because John did.

~ ~ ~

When Rory asked why John still wanted people to call him _The Doctor_ it turned into a bigger deal than it should’ve been. Then again, he did hang out with a theatre nerd who collected Oscar Wilde books _and_ an artist who had an unhealthy obsession with Van Gogh, so maybe he should’ve expected the dramatic.

“You did not just ask that.” Amy and John both paused, before the latter slowly took a bite out of his sandwich.

“What? It’s just a question. I’m just curious.”

“What’s the problem?” Amy quipped, tilting her head. Amy was like a hurricane: her emotions showed, shining through and obvious. It made her seem open; it made people like her. If she had a problem with you, you would know about it. And Rory currently knew that she would get annoyed if he upset John.

“There’s no problem, Jesus Christ.”

“There’s no need to call me Jesus Christ.”

“But you want everyone to call you the Doctor?”

John grinned and winked at him. He stood up on his chair in front of the entire canteen and yelled, “WHO THINKS THAT THE DOCTOR IS A BLOODY _AWESOME_ NICKNAME?”

There was a large cheer and a chorus of laughs as people from all years called out to John and whistled; some people even clapped. The grin on John’s face made Rory want to hug him. “THANKS EVERYONE!”

John fell back down triumphantly, and Rory’s heart swelled.

~ ~ ~

Rory Williams was apparently highly gifted, because he did three sciences, further maths and ICT GCSE out of _choice_ and _his own free will_. Rory knew he wasn’t clever at all, and certainly not more so than those who only did maths and science because they didn’t have a choice, and would “rather kill everyone with a paintbrush than do ICT”.

Amy Pond’s words.

And it was because he was “highly gifted” that the Doctor had pounced on him at break one day and asked him to tutor him.

“In the art of the inevitable fuck up that is Romeo and Juliet.”

Rory _knew_ he wasn’t clever when it took just one sly smirk and raised eyebrow from Amy for him to agree.

He was really, _really_ stupid.

~ ~ ~

“Oh come on! Take the opportunity to get some _one on one time_ ,” Amy grinned, winking wickedly at him. That didn’t help at all.

It was a Friday night and he was at Amy’s house. He was always at Amy’s house on a Friday night. She was curled up on a beanbag, wearing fluffy blue socks and a too-big T-Shirt with paint stains on it. Every now and then she would chuck a marshmallow at him and he would try and catch it in his mouth.

Rory loved their friendship. He really did.

“I’m such an idiot. Such an idiot. I’m terrible at English. Ugh it’s gonna be so awful.”

“Chill,” Amy shifted around in her chair and pulled her legs under her. “You know the Doctor – he’s the nicest guy you’d meet. What’s his problem with R and J anyway?”

“He wants help with the theme of fate or something. Why does he think I’ll be able to help? Why me?” Rory paced around the room, taking in the various artworks that dotted the space. There were paintings and clay pots and doodles and half finished art journals. Amy’s coursework book for school was sitting ominously on her desk.

“Rory PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER. John wants you to help him because he’s into _you_ , you donut. And he probably asked for help regarding R and J _specifically_ because he loves metaphors and shit that has hidden meanings. He’s one big cliché.” She slowed her words, and popped another marshmallow into her mouth.

Rory didn’t know what to say.

~ ~ ~

It was Monday. Which meant that The Day had arrived and that afternoon he would be tutoring John on _Romeo and Juliet_ of all things.

He had freaked out all weekend over what Amy had said. John couldn’t really like him, could he? Why would he? And how would Amy know if he did? Was her way of setting them up some stupid tutoring session?

Rory wished his mind would shut up for _one second_. Rory wished he could just stop thinking about John for one bloody moment.

Rory had been wishing that for the last two years.

~ ~ ~

He got a text from John during French, which he did not approve of.

**John: hey we still on for tonight? ;)**

Rory knew that a winky face was basically the shorthand equivalent of ‘Netflix and chill?’ and he didn’t know what the hell he should make of that. Maybe Amy was right and John _was_ into him.

**Rory: Aren’t you in class?**

**Rory: But yes.**

He got a reply not thirty seconds later and held his breath nervously as he glanced around the room to make sure no one had noticed. Then he furtively hid his phone under his desk as he read the message, his heart beating wildly.

**John: ive got a sub**

**John: and ur texting in class as well!**

**John: good to know. would be devastated if the sesh was off hahah**

Rory wondered if that was sarcasm, or a joke for the two of them, or some weird Doctor-style way of flirting. He wanted to reply but didn’t, nervous of his teacher catching him.

The Doctor didn’t leave his mind for the rest of the lesson, of course.

~ ~ ~

Rory knocked on was in the library fifteen minutes early. The night had arrived quickly, and stars were beginning to dot the sky; streetlamps were few and far between, and stood like beacons of hope for any traveller. The country air was spooky and empty, and Rory shivered – his hands stuck in his pockets – as he entered the library.

Rory’s hands were shaking and his heart was thumping as he made his way to the study section. Which was stupid – _he felt stupid_. He wondered why he’d even agreed to it in the first place. And then he wondered if it would really put a strain on their friendship if he cancelled on the Doctor.

He set everything out neatly on the desk: the play, pens, pencils, file paper, a ruler. Everything was there, in the correct order and correct place, ready to play their parts.

Rory was still standing up, admiring the organisation, when he heard a loud: “Heeey!” He didn’t even have time to turn around before he was engulfed in a hug. The librarian shushed him and shook her head disapprovingly.

Rory’s upper body was pressed against the Doctor’s and only a chair separated their lower halves. The Doctor placed his head on Rory’s shoulder.

“So I see you’ve got everything sorted out then,” he nodded at the desk and Rory blushed.

“Ready for Romeo and Juliet?”

“Absolutely.” He rubbed his hands together gleefully and took a seat beside Rory who had flopped down ungracefully. He’d been friends with John for years, but that moment between them had felt special somehow. The air between them had been electric.

John – or _the Doctor_ – straightened his bowtie before getting his copy of the play out of his bag. Rory smiled fondly.

~ ~ ~

“Right, so to conclude: the way Juliet bows when she apologises to Capulet reflects the misogyny of the time the play is set and when it was written. It also shows how much control parents had over their children, especially girls.” Rory finished, looking expectantly at John.

“Are you going to audition for the play this year?”

Rory let the book fall out of his hands. “You’re kidding right? The library closes in like five minutes, and you need to get a grasp of this theme.”

“I mean come on, you’re a great actor.”

“Doctor,” he said sternly.

“And you’ve got such a…acting face!”

Rory didn’t even know what that was supposed to mean, but suppressed a chuckle at his sweetness.

“An acting face?”

“Yes, it was absolutely made for the stage,” the Doctor traced Rory’s jawline and Rory suddenly forgot how to breathe. He looked into the Doctor’s eyes and saw galaxies in them. He was the one who started leaning in first, and then the Doctor joined him, and their lips were just about to connect when-

“THE LIBRARY’S CLOSED!” A deafening shriek filled the space and Rory could swear his eardrums were ringing. The moment was gone.

“Right so, er, d-do you need anymore help? With, with the play, I mean,” he mumbled, stuffing everything into his bag quickly. “I spent all weekend learning my notes – argh. I mean, not for tonight or anything, erm…yeah.”

Rory closed his eyes and faced the Doctor, mentally cursing himself and all he could think was _‘Why am I like this, why am I like this, why in hell am I like this?'_ He unwillingly opened his eyes. 

“Rory–” The Doctor began, eyes unfocused and mouth pulling at the corners; his back was slouched and he slowly reached out to touch Rory’s arm. It was enough to make Rory flinch away.

“Right, I’ll-I’ll see you tomorrow then,” he hurried away, waving slightly without turning around; he fumbled, trying to put his hands in his pockets. “Bye.”

“Thank you!” The Doctor said. Rory didn’t hear him.

~ ~ ~

“Soooo, how’d the hot date go?” Amy was leaning against the wall and waggled her eyebrows as she met Rory.

Rory slammed his house door shut. “I don’t want to talk about it.” He walked straight out of his front garden, and headed towards school. Amy had to run to catch up.

“Okaaay. I sense that maybe things didn’t go as planned.”

“ _Planned?_ Planned! You had it _planned_?”

“Well no not exactly.”

“Amy why would you do that?” His walking pace quickened.

“I though it was better to set it up naturally, alright.” She snapped, glaring at him. Her tone was softer when she said, “You’re both so awkward. A proper date wouldn’t work.”

“Pfft, I am not awkward,” Rory said smoothly, as flashbacks of his awkward and completely embarrassing exit from the library the previous night exploded through his mind.

“So how was it?”

“Completely awful. It was going well. I mean, I was just teaching him about the play and all, and then we were going to kiss.” Amy breathed in excitedly. “Except we didn’t. Because the library was closing and I’m a complete idiot.”

Rory leaned against someone’s stone garden wall, raising his head towards the sky. “And then I left really fucking weirdly. It was mortifying. I dunno how I’m gonna face him today – or ever. I mean, I can hardly look you in the eye and you weren’t even there.”

“Why’d you dodge the kiss?” Amy asked, lowering herself beside him and putting his hand in hers.

“I don’t know. I don’t bloody know. It would’ve been – ugh. Does he like me?”

“Of course he does.”

“He’s going to think I don’t like him back, or something. Ames, I’m so stupid.”

“No you’re not!” She chastised. “This can all be sorted out very easily. Come on.” She pulled him up off the wall, and they walked to school hand in hand.

~ ~ ~

Throughout form class Rory sat listening to John talking to his Drama friends. The Doctor acted all upbeat and happy yet it was abundantly clear that he _wasn’t_.

“So anyway in my dream I was on this planet, in another universe. And this robot covered in half metal balls came up to me and started yelling about death or something. And I’m not joking it started pointing this _whisk_ at me, and on the right side of its whisk was a bloody _plunger_.” There were laughs from the group. John kept his elbows at his side as he stretched his arms out in front of him and moved them spastically.

“So I was about to get killed by this thing, and I had seen it kill people before.” He glanced up at Rory momentarily, and Rory pretended to be busy checking his homework diary. “And I was scared and my heart was pumping so fast I thought I’d have a heart attack, but all I could think was, “The fuck? Is this thing gonna _sucker_ me to death?"

There were more giggles and laughs, and even people who were not in the group had started listening, but all Rory could focus on was the way the Doctor quickly slipped himself out of attention. He had said his piece, and now everyone though he was okay. But the comedy mask fell off soon, and soon he was left barefaced, his eyes drooping and mouth twitching. 

Rory felt absolutely awful.

~ ~ ~

Amy had told him to wait until she told him the plan. And yeah, he’d usually wait a thousand years for Amy and one of her plans, but seeing the Doctor like this – all wide eyed and jumpy limbs – made dread creep up his spine and remorse and shame make a home in his stomach.

So Rory Williams was going to do something reckless. Rory Williams was going to confront John, without help or back up from Amy, and he was going to do it _now_.

“Hey, John,” he croaked out, tugging on his sleeve as they waited outside their English classroom. They were the first ones there. “Can I talk to you?”

The Doctor took one look at him and nodded, body tensed and he raked a hand through his hair.

“I wanted to apologise for last night. And I really mean it. It wasn’t fair. And then I acted like a bloody idiot, too. I wanted to kiss you, ’cause I _like_ you. A lot. And, ehm, I understand, i-if you don’t want to go out, or whatever. Or if you don’t-don’t like me, because you obviously don’t have to like me. And, yeah.”

John smiled widely. “So you like me?” Rory nodded, and John full on _beamed_ , grabbing Rory’s hand and jumping up and down. “That’s a relief. I thought you’d be freaked out about yesterday.”

“Only because I was an idiot. I think I baled because I didn’t want the weird librarian watching us.”

The Doctor chuckled. “She _was_ weird, actually. Like, who’s scared of shadows?”

“I know! Do you remember how she screamed when she went into the children’s section, and she saw the shadow of that cardboard cut-out Harry Potter?”

The Doctor laughed heartily, wiping tears from his eyes. “ _A library’s supposed to be quiet_ ,” he mimicked her shrill voice.

Just then their teacher called them all, and the other students started filing into the classroom.

“Hey listen,” the Doctor said. “How about we go out on Saturday? Nothing fancy. Fish and chips at the seaside! Chips are cool. Would you like to?”

“I’d love to,” Rory grinned.

“Good.” And they were alone. The Doctor grabbed his face, and kissed him. Rory’s arms made their way around his waist and when they released – both a little breathless and gazing at each other – they stood, content in the moment.

It was perfect. It had just been a peck, really, an innocent first kiss, but it was absolutely everything to both of them. They had wanted it for so long, and neither could really believe it. It had happened. It had happened and it had been _perfect_.

And then the Doctor grinned and rushed into the class, with Rory following behind him, still awestruck.

“Ah gentlemen, I’m glad you’ve finally chosen to join us. Rory, I hope you’ll consider auditioning for the play this year.” She said, but with little hope.

And Rory, like all the other years, didn’t even have to think before he replied. He didn’t have to think of anyone or anything before he decided.

“You know what, miss, I think I will.”

And it was weird. And everybody just looked at him in shock. And his teacher, having prepared a disappointed chastising for when Rory inevitably declined, let her mouth hang open. And Rory stood in the middle of the classroom, standing in front of the desk that was opposite the Doctor.

And they both grinned.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed! People who comment or kudos get a biscuit


End file.
